In the production of gas bags for vehicle occupant restraint systems particular attention is paid to the improvement of the restraint values of a vehicle occupant, e.g. by the configuration of a gas bag contact surface for the impacting occupant as large as possible. Besides, the gas bag is also intended to react individually adapted to special circumstances, such as a non-optimum restraint position of the occupant, an existing child safety seat, a safety belt not fastened by the occupant, etc. as far as possible. In doing so, the gas bag design should, however, not become too complex, in order to ensure a reliable and well reproducible unfolding characteristic and keep the manufacturing expense low.